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Entrance: Priests ordained in 1994 processed into the cathedral through the west doors,
applauded by the congregation CREDIT: GRAHAM LACADO/Church Times
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"There was a party atmosphere at St Paul's for the anniversary service."
So writes Madeleine Davies for the Church Times (here). Among the usual heart-rending testimonies appear a couple of odd observations from clerics who should know better:
"Later, during intercessions, the Archdeacon of Westminster, the Ven. Dr Jane Hedges, prayed for "those who are unable to accept the ministry of women. . . Give us the desire to understand and respect difference." How very tolerant of her! Well Dr Hedges you should know that women have not been excluded from ministry, the majority just do not see the need to be ordained to carry it out. What was being celebrated was not ministry but ambition which was confirmed by this comment. "It was a very charged atmosphere," said the Revd Alison Morris, a non-stipendiary minister at St Michael and All Angels', Pelsall, who was ordained five years ago. "As they entered, they were clapping those who were clapping and affirming them. Some had tears in their eyes."
And this from Archbishop Welby. In his sermon he "paid tribute to those who had campaigned for women's ordination. The journey had required "much risk", he said, "from those women and men who long ago stepped out on a course which seemed unimaginable, their costly grind paving the way for those gathered here to step forward. In our celebrations - and let there be celebration - let us not overlook the cost, the bitterness of disappointment and rejection, the knee-jerk resistance of an institution facing change." That was bad enough but then this: I want to thank those here today whose costly loyalty, whose scars, make this celebration possible, and I want to say personally how I grieve that it cost so much, to apologise for my own part in that hurt."
The scars which made the celebration possible are not borne by the congregation but by those whose costly loyalty has seen them sidelined with any concessions constantly whittled away. But the expressions of joy continue in the Church Times. I see under "Train a Priest 2014" (TAP) Fund: Since this year's grand total will not be announced until Pentecost, it is not too late to make a TAP thankoffering for the ordination of women, if you are so minded; or, indeed, to organise a special collection or fund-raising effort.
I wonder if they do refunds?
Archbishop Welby is absolutely correct that there is a great cost and much risk in ordination of women to the priesthood, and that cost will be the risk of losing traditional Anglo-Catholics to the Church of England. (Let's not even mention what will happen in the Church in Wales!)
ReplyDelete++ Welby clearly does not understand why there is opposition; it is not a 'knee jerk' reaction as he is quoted to have said, and he clearly has failed to listen to Forward in Faith and the Catholic group of the General Synod, who have explained that their opposition is a matter doctrine, faith,and tradition of the church.
I think I will mention the Church in Wales after all.
Not only does it seem likely that Anglo -Catholics may not have traditional oversight, it seems likely that there will be an ecumenical bishop, chosen by the ecumenical congregation of that bishop's origin ,and 'just like that' -as in a Tommy Cooper routine -to be called a bishop without ever having been ordained a priest! Such ecumenical bishops will be interchangeable with the Bishops in the Anglican communion of the present Church in Wales. So this means that a congregation may have oversight from a 'bishop' who is not really a bishop at all!
This will be the outcome of "The Church Uniting in Wales" : and ++Barry will have reached his zenith.
Zenith?
ReplyDeleteNadir surely.
The dissolution of the Church in Wales will be the zenith for + Barry ,but absolutely accept it will prove to be the nadir for traditionalists.
ReplyDeleteI wish that the faithful could see + + Barry's motto : 'slowly slowly catchy monkey' - that is of furtive destruction and theft of our tradition.
There is another comparison to your term 'slowly slowly catchy monkey' Simple Soul! Its called grooming.
DeleteWhat is Credo Cymru doing about all this? Does it still exist? Is there anyone taking a lead in support of authentic Christian teaching and order in the Church in Wales? Or has the white flag well and truly been run up the flagpole?
ReplyDeleteYes, Washington! It appears to be the case.
ReplyDeleteGood thought about Credo Cymru-I did check their website but under 'news and events' there is just mention of the Festival in September. The last entry I found about the women bishops issue was written last summer by Bishop David. Perhaps there is someone from Credo Cymru reading this blog who can comment?
ReplyDeleteHowever, how informative is the internet?
I cam across the following announcement and invitation elsewhere :
THURSDAY 16 MAY at 6.30pm FIRST ORDINARIATE MASS IN NEW CARDIFF HOME :
First Ordinariate Mass to be celebrated in the new chapel that has been assigned to the Wales (South East) group. Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral of St. David, 38 Charles Street, Cardiff, CF10 2SF. Mass will be celebrated by Fr Peter Clarke of the Bristol Ordinariate Group, followed by a meeting over tea and coffee. All are welcome.
Might be worth a peep?
Thank you Simple soul.
ReplyDeleteReaders who wish to follow the progress of the Ordinariate or look for activity in their area in Great Britain can click on the "Personal Ordinariate" logo in the right hand column then "Find a group".
Well done Simple Soul – thanks for highlighting that event. Credo Cymru is obviously dead in the water. SSC Wales is conspicuous by its absence. CBS no longer exists in Wales. The Code of Practice is a non-starter because His Darkness will do anything to kill it at birth. A quick look at the various financial reports highlighted on this blog show that the Church in Wales is actually bankrupt NOW (watch out for those pensions chaps and chapesses – I hope you’ve already bought your retirement homes!), so there is no point in any pew-sitter throwing any more good money after the bad. So the only options left for Anglicans of a Catholic disposition in Wales are: 1. Stay where you are, becoming Affirming Catholics and die out in less than ten years; 2. Give up altogether going to church and join the local Sunday morning bowls club; 3.Become a Catholic via the traditional RCIA route; 4. If you want to keep some of your Anglican heritage/baggage join the Ordinariate at Metropolitan Cathedral on Thursday 15th May at 6:30 pm for their first Mass.
ReplyDeleteDon't jump ship just yet... an "ordinariate" by Anglicans for Anglicans is on the way - you saw it here first!
ReplyDeleteWhat!
DeleteAn Ordinariate is that which belongs to a Bishop or Ordinary of the Catholic Church in communion with the See of Peter.
The Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham IS for Anglicans who understand that in the Church in Wales the Apostolic succession is about to be abandoned. The Ordinariate was,in fact, set up by Anglicans following intense discussion and negotiation with Rome,resulting in the invitation from Pope Emeritus Benedict.
So you must be saying that a group of Anglicans are setting up their own sect?!
Presumably avoiding women in ordination ,but in communion with whom?
If in communion with what may be left of the Church in Wales ,then this " new Ordinariate" will be in communion with the Bishops of the Church in Wales and the ecumenical Bishops, in which case nothing has changed.
Talking about" an ordinariate by Anglicans for Anglicans" is a nonsense and misuse of the word Ordinariate.
Amid all this despondency, you might like to take a look at the positive stance Forward in Faith is taking in England: not just promoting itself as a negative protest movement; but wanting to contribute to the Church's future on an equal footing. With the scholarly Dr Martin Warner at the helm, and a far less misogynistic profile, coupled to a bit more theological weight, it is making friends in unexpected places. In the meantime, wasn't it good that a feminist theologian (Linda Woodhead, no less) upbraided Justin Welby for the total absence of any theological resoning in his sermon at St Paul's, last weekend, including the priceless comment 'To explain the resistance to women's ordination as just 'knee-jerk' institutional conservatism is no explanation at all - it's a knee-jerk cliche (and insulting to many serious-minded opponents of women's ordination).' I wonder if she also had half an eye on another theologically lightweight primate who spends rather a lot of time on the golf course?
ReplyDeleteGood point thank you Llandaff Pelican. If they have not already seen it readers may like to read the lead article "Towards Final Approval?" by David Banting in the May edition of Forward in Faith's New Directions here http://www.forwardinfaith.com/news/new-directions-yudu.html
DeleteIt shows up the Church in Wales for the mean, backward approach symbolised by the Archdeacon of Llandaff in her recent Governing Body speech after previously appealing to get in step with the Church of England. The woman clearly has no conscience yet she was allowed to sway GB against traditionalists as the prime mover of the motion.
An utter disgrace: http://ancientbritonpetros.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/lowlights_28.html
Isaiah, if you join the Ordinariate set up by Rome, you are no longer an Anglican, tout simple. But for those who genuinely value being Anglicans, there is another way, which does not include kissing the papal slipper.
ReplyDeleteA theological lighweight the golfing bishop may be, he has however proved himself most detrimental to any witness which the Church in Wales may have to the Gospel of Our Lord.
ReplyDeleteI am rather concerned about Dr Hedges "desire to understand and respect difference". What is she trying to say in this 'prayer'? "Make it a pleasing unto us (not You) to understand and respect members of my own (just) Church. And that's an order, by the way ..."
ReplyDeleteAs to knee-jerkers - I have always had the very strong impression that the term is more appropriately applied to the Anglican Liberal lemmings who were / are in such a rush to follow the American / TEC lead in all things. According to wikipedia, real lemmings can and do suvive jumping off cliffs, including jump into water because they can swim. Spot the difference with the Anglican lemmings.
Alan, what you must understand is that we are "a stench in their nostrils", and they will not rest until they have entirely purged the Church in Wales of anyone perceived even mildly to disapprove of anything they stand for. Purge - now there's a word! Remind anyone of the late Joe Stalin?
ReplyDelete